Archive | April, 2010

Chinese consumers are getting their fill of Android thanks to the Motorola XT800, but that same device is looking to be bound for South Korea as well with a new name change – the Motorola Titanium. It’ll actually be the second Android powered smartphone by Motorola in South Korea and will supplement the existing MOTOROI which has been available since February. It’s speculated to be offered through SK Telecom and will be available in both 2G and 3G flares – the XT800C will a 2G CDMA phone while the XT800W will come with UMTS support. The Motorola Titanium will feature Android 2.0, a 480 x 854 touchscreen, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm headset jack, and a 5.0-megapixel camera with DI video recording. Interestingly enough, it’s also rumored that this device may also be launched in the US – so don’t be too surprised if a wireless carrier decides to bring it aboard. With so many Android devices from the long time US based manufacturer, the Motorola Titanium is looking to follow in the same footsteps that some of its siblings have already traversed.
via Unwired View

If Android weren’t home to some premier web browsers already, one of the most popular ones to grace the Windows Mobile and BlackBerry platforms is about to make its appearance. SkyFire users have long enjoyed all wonders the proxy-based web browser has to offer – page loads are lightning quick and replicate the desktop experience intricately on a mobile handset. The Android version of the application is in the early stages and is now available in alpha form, but they’re in the process of offering invitations for Android users who want to experience it. Even though there still might be some bugs or issues expected with the alpha release, the invitations are limited and not everyone will be able to get a crack at it – so you’d better hurry up and sign up.
source: SkyFire via Android Central

While Google’s Nexus One is considered the closest Android device to the Apple iPhone, it is the Motorola DROID that has become the leading seller in the Android space. While Verizon has spent $100 million to promote the latter device, Google has basically limited promotion of the N-One to banner ads. The reason is the difference in how the two models are sold. The DROID is sold by its carrier, Verizon, at Big Red’s retail stores, third party retailers like Best Buy, and online at Verizon’s web site. The Nexus One is being sold by Google on the Mountain View based firms’ online “phone store”. The carriers are not involved in marketing or selling the phone. Can you see the mismatch here? On one hand, you have a company-Verizon-that spends huge sums on mainstream advertising and has expertise doing this. On the other side, you have a company like Google that really doesn’t advertise directly to the public. But this is going to change.

On Google’s web site, the company has posted a job opening for a Product Marketing Manager for Nexus One and Android. The job’s goal is to increase sales and consumer awareness of the N-One. In reaching the goal, you will part of a team that develops and executes a Direct-to-Conumer marketing plan. You also will be making sure that the ad campaigns are reaching the intended recipient across all channels and checking in with global Android marketers to make sure that there is cohesion in local strategy and launches. The person who gets this job will become a quotable product and industry expert on all things Android. A Bachelor’s Degree and 7 years work experience are just some of the requirements neccessary to apply for the job, For all of the requirements that a candidate must have, check out the source link.
source: Google via Phandroid

Aloha! One of those User Agent Profiles has surfaced again, this time revealing what would probably be LG’s third Android phone, after the GW620 and the GT540. Unlike these two devices however, the LG Aloha C710 seems to be a bit more beefed-up, sporting Android 2.1, WVGA screen, QWERTY keyboard and Wi-Fi 802.11n skills. Apart from that, nothing else is known about the C710 at the moment, except for the word that there has indeed been a certificate issued by the Wi-Fi Alliance recently for the Aloha, although it doesn’t seem to be accessible right now. We don’t have to tell you that there’s no price or release date available yet, do we?

Now, who said this may be the first Android clamshell?
source: Tweakers.net (translated)

Those of you Android users who have been looking forward to the Firefox browser, good news! Mozilla has been adding more men to the job and the vp of mobile, Jay Sullivan, says that his goal for 2010 is to ship at least a beta version of the software. Three months ago, the company had nothing done in regards to Android. Now, they are a few bug fixes away from nightly builds. Recent additions to Firefox for Android include resolving problems with the soft keys, perfecting the rotation behavior and accelerometer support, and working on rendering with different approaches like OpenGL. The video below shows where the browser was just a couple of days ago, and is used on a Nexus One. Even though far from completed, the demo looks good. One thing that the team is working on is getting Weave up and running. This allows the mobile browser to sync bookmarks and history with the full Firefox.
source: Vladimir’sBlog

When it comes to whetting the public’s appetite for Android, nobody beats Verizon, After all, Big Red spent $100 million dollars on ads that caught the attention of the public and the result is that the Motorola DROID has become the most popular Android device, as we reported. The “DROID Does” phrase has become part of cellphone fans vocabulary, which tells you how powerful those spots were. Verizon is now rolling out a couple of new commercials designed to focus on some of the applications found in the Android Market. The first ad concentrates on Google’s Sky Map while the second focuses on Slacker Radio. Verizon couldn’t do new ads without taking its usual shot at the iPhone, so this time the latter’s lack of support for multitasking has been written into one of the ads.
source: DROIDDOG

HTC’s desire to launch one of their highly anticipated Android phones, the HTC Desire, has received its very first over-the-air firmware update already – it’ll bring the HTC Desire to version 1.15.405.4. Although a majority of markets have yet to launch the beloved high-end handset, the firmware was quoted by HTC as to provide you “with the best user experience.” There have been rumors about delays in shipment which was said to be caused by a new ROM that required units to be re-flashed, but it seems as though HTC wants its launch to be smooth and a problem-free experience for their customers. Even though HTC does not specify in detail what is coming along with it, they do state that you should be connected to Wi-Fi or have an unlimited data plan to apply the update. Firmware updates are good for the most part, but having one so soon does raise an eyebrow among people.
source: HTC via Engadget

One of the handsets that made some waves during the most recent CTIA was none other than the Samsung Galaxy S that got unpacked and showcased Samsung’s latest Android powered device. There was a new Samsung model seen over at the Bluetooth SIG that bares a striking resemblance to the awe-inspiring specs seen with the Galaxy S. The device in question, going by the model name SGH-I897, looks to feature a 4.0” AMOLED touchscreen that’ll have the TouchWiz UI running on top of Android, Bluetooth 3.0, and quad-band GSM connectivity. Although it’s still not yet known what regions are confirmed to see the light of the Samsung Galaxy S, the SGH-I897 could be some kind of variant – which isn’t a bad thing considering how flawlessly the Galaxy S looked and performed during its unveiling at CTIA.
via Samsung Hub

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 has embarked on its quest to conquer various markets, although its release was accompanied by bad news – for an instance, the device will not offer multitouch support. Still, Roger’s customers will probably be happy to know that their carrier will be offering the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 soon.

The rumor has it the powerful Android smartphone will become available at a price of $149.99 for anyone willing to sign up for a three-year agreement, while unlocked, SIM-free units will set you back with $549.99 each, which is rather inexpensive alongside of the price of the handset across Europe. Still, keep in mind the information is unofficial and it’s not unlikely that Rogers surprises us with a steep price-tag that is, well, drastically different from the one mentioned above.
source: MobileSyrup

Does Sony Ericsson really want to challenge the top handset makers on the globe? The joint venture has shot itself in the foot so many times that you wonder what its real intention is. When the Xperia X1 was launched, lack of a U.S. carrier held back sales. One of the few places that sold an unlocked version in the States was Best Buy Mobile and with a highly exorbitant price for a handset that really had no special features outside of a unique panel based UI, the phone was barely seen on U.S. soil. Now enter the Xperia X10.

Running on Android 1.6, Sony Ericsson once again seems to be cutting off its nose to spite its face. While the X10 has flagship style specs like a 4 inch screen with DROIDesque resolution of 480 x 854 pixels, an 8.1MP camera and the Timescape and Mediascape interfaces, one thing that the phone will not have is multitouch. That means no Pinch-To-Zoom in the browser even though all of the cool phones are doing multitouch these days. Perhaps Sony Ericsson is being too much like a protective parent. A spokesman says, “It is correct that the X10 will not support multi-touch. However with the X10’s signature applications, the X10 offers an excellent user experience.” This could be a major mistake for Sony Ericsson because if they are thinking that no one really cares about pinching in the browser and staring at Live Wallpaper, they should take a look at how highly anticipated the Android 2.1 update is for DROID owners who have just started to see the upgrade rollout this week. Further more, the Xperia X10 could very well repeat the same mistake made by the X1 and end up being sold in the U.S.as an unlocked device without a carrier.That would prevent buyers from getting a low, subsidized price for the model. It is hard to believe that Sony Ericsson would let all of their hard work on the X10 go to waste by offering an expensive unlocked model running Android 1.6 without multitouch. If things stay as they are, the unit will trail top Android handsets like the DROID and Nexus One, not to mention the newer batch of handsets about to be released in a few weeks lke the HTC Incredible and the Samsung Galaxy S to name just a couple.
source: AndroidandMe